01/01/98 - 01/01/00
The huge reduction in water levels in the Aral Sea led to the need to manage water resources more efficiently within the Amu Darya and Syr Darya river basins in order to reduce environmental degradation and improve economic returns to water use. LML:
01/01/98 - 01/01/99
This was management of a major agricultural reform programme in three countries, using food aid counterpart funds to stimulate rural investment and credit. The principal elements were:
01/01/98 - 31/12/98
Landell Mills was responsible for providing advice on the restructuring and strengthening of the Ministry of Agriculture to permit it to fulfil its new role. Outputs included a revised operational structure and plan, a food security policy and information system and a three-year budget for programme execution.
LML was responsible for providing the services of an Institutional Specialist to evaluate the planning process adopted by CARERE, the so-called PRDC model, and also to evaluate the overall organisational management structure of the project.
01/12/97 - 01/05/98
01/11/97 - 01/01/05
Landell Mills, through the provision of a European Co-Director and national Finance and Administration Manager, managed this regional development programme that sought to assist the Prefectura (provincial administration) and local municipalities in providing economic opportunities for the people of the Arque and Tapacari districts.
The Programme provides positive incentive mechanisms for preventing local seasonal migration in the form of improved irrigation and cropping, stabilisation of terrain, tree planting, soil conservation, road building, and the construction of education and health facilities. It also worked in handicraft and tourism promotion. It had a 7 m EUR grant fund to implement this work.
The project was undertaken with consideration for local customs, with an understanding of previous work done for the benefit of the local communities, and with the project beneficiaries determining the nature of the assistance and providing at least 50 percent of the labour input.
The programme sought to support and develop the capacity of local government institutions through working with and training 26 local government staff as part of the programme.
The programme also supported numerous local NGOs, many of whom were developed with the support of prior EU funding, through encouraging them to avail their services for individual project activities.
01/11/97 - 01/12/02
Micro-Enterprise Support Programme
Landell Mills managed the Micro Enterprise Support Programme (MESP) in Kenya. It was designed to address two major needs in the Kenyan economy: (I) the need to create employment opportunities for new entrants to the labour market and (ii) the need to combat the rising incidence of poverty.
MESP provided financial support to micro-enterprises through the establishment of a micro-credit revolving fund and through the allocation of this fund to identified intermediaries for on-lending.
It also provided support to micro-enterprises through grant financing of product development and marketing. This activity encouraged the development of new products (e.g. soft wood carvings, hand power water pumps, the donkey plough, the storm lantern) and the marketing of products to new source markets (e.g. gifts and curios to the international market, furniture to the luxury Kenya and East Africa market, gum arabic to the international commodities trading houses). This component has provided support to almost 3,500 entrepreneurs.
Institutional support was provided through the programme to the Government of Kenya to assist in coordination and policy development in the micro-enterprise sector. Under this component, support was also provided to micro-finance institutions to increase their financial sustainability. Around 2,500 beneficiaries have been supported.
The credit component made credit available to micro-finance institutions at marketable rates. 8,000 entrepreneurs have benefited from loans of on average Euro 260 each from this component. The institutional default rate has been maintained at less than 2%, which makes this programme one of the most successful in the sector.
MESP has now converted to a Trust ensuring its continuing function and long term sustainability.
01/11/97 - 31/10/98
The Royal Government of Cambodia, in cooperation with UNDP, carried out a four-year experiment (the SEILA Programme) in the decentralised planning and financing of participatory development in five provinces of the country. Under the programme, the formulation of those policies and systems required for decentralisation to be undertaken at national level, leaving the direct responsibility for planning and management to the provincial governments. The primary channel for technical and financial assistance to the SEILA programme is the second phrase of the UNDP project, CARERE
01/09/97 - 01/09/99
As the Estonian economy continues to develop, the Government has been taking steps to ensure that public service institutions make best use of resources (both domestic and international) in promoting economic activities; assistance has been sought for Ministry departments and its affiliated Boards, Agencies and Funds. This specific project has sprung from a need to maximise the benefits of international assistance through an effective coordination of projects within the Ministry’s remit. The project also aims to support key departments within the Ministry where improvements in systems and management will yield a return on MoEA’s general performance.
01/08/97 - 01/08/02
Landell Mills Ltd in partnership with EMC of Mauritius was responsible for managing and implementing a matching grant scheme in Mauritius aimed expressly at micro, small and medium size companies in the agricultural sector. The consortium developed the systems for grant delivery and delivered an intensive promotions programme
Through the provision of consultancy and targeted training, this project has assisted beneficiaries to improve their existing operations, to diversify and to add value to existing products.